New Yorkers may be famous for their strong opinions and argumentative nature, but there’s one thing most of them agree on: they wouldn’t choose to live anywhere else. Contrary to that hilarious Onion article that made the Internet rounds this summer, a new survey shows that most of the city’s residents are happy with their hometown.

Not just for tourists (by Dov Harrington via flickr)

As reported by the New York Times’ City Room blog, 84 percent of New Yorkers who were surveyed said they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the city as a place to live, while only 4 percent said they were not at all satisfied.

What’s the happiest borough? Staten Island, with 95 percent of its residents claiming to be “happy” or “very happy.” Queens was just behind that, with 93 percent, and Manhattan had 91 percent. The Bronx was lowest on this scale, but still pretty good, at 86 percent. Manhattan apparently emerged as the friendliest borough (28 percent), followed closely by Brooklyn (24 percent) and Queens (23 percent).

Take a trip to NYC's happiest borough (by Jill Clardy via flickr)

The 1,005 adults who were surveyed were chosen at random and interviewed by telephone between Sept. 29 and Oct. 6. Hmm…while I love the thought of so many happy fellow New Yorkers around me, the cynical New Yorker in me can’t help but wonder: If they had conducted their interviews during hot, sticky summer, when the rush-hour subway platform morphs into the ninth circle of Hell, instead of bright, beautiful fall, might they have gotten different responses?